Happy February

Happy February. It is Black History Month and today I would like to lift my cup of tea to the “Freedom Riders”, a group of about 12 black and white Americans who rode buses into the South and courageously rode and ate, sat and used bathrooms in all the wrong places, whites in the "black only" areas and blacks in the white areas and they did it together. They had no National Guard, no police, no sheriffs backing them up. Their suffering and brave acts began the breaking of the back of segregation. We all need to honor them and the brave men, women and children who gave bravely of themselves in this cause. None of us is free until we all are free.

Do you sometimes get wound up and can't relax? Everyone does. When this happens, “a nice cuppa tea and a sit down” can really help. Especially if the tea is an herbal tisane. I got a very pleasant one as a sample in an order from LiberTeas. It is called Meadow Nocturne, which immediately calls up an image of a flower studded meadow on a hill, just as evening is really beginning to come down. Relaxing already. This is a pretty tea, as most of Anne's are. It is chamomile with many blue, pink and yellow flower petals. It has a really pleasant fresh apple like flavor, with wonderful floral notes. Just the thing to make a pot of, sit down with some pleasant music, and relax, even if it is only 10 minutes. You'll feel better and so will those around you.

Another tisane that has many good things about it is mint. Mint cools you off, warms you up and does wonders for a troubled tummy. For some reason, I've been reading a lot of mint tea reviews lately. I guess mint is one of those all purpose herbs, tea wise, good both summer and winter. However, all I ever see included in tea is spearmint or peppermint. I have nothing against either, I like them both. But there is also chocolate mint, apple mint and my personal favorite orange mint, to name only a few others. All of these, as well as spearmint and peppermint are easy to grow. Keeping them from taking over is another matter. Buy a couple plants of ones you like, put them in an area that can be overrun with them and enjoy in hot or cold tea. No garden space? A biggish pot, [about 8 inches] some seeds, and a bit of sun and you are all set. Easy to grow, easy to use, minty fresh mint!